Does Cost Matter?Interim Findings

Dr. Graeme Atherton, Director NEON

Why?

• Young participation overall ‘held up’ since fees increased

• Young participation from low participation neighbourhoods

• Why is this? How is/is not behaviour being affected by cost?

NEON

• 90 organisations/500+ individuals• Funded by subscription• Professional organisation for access to higher

education in England• Access Academy• NEON News• Working Groups• NEON Awards• NEON Symposium• Research e.g. Early 2014, ‘Does Cost Matter’?

Methodology

• Online survey for year 13/Level 3 applicants

• HEIs identified schools in 7 areas:

• London

• Merseyside

• Manchester

• Leicestershire

• Hull and Humberside

• Bedfordshire

• East Anglia

Knowledge of HE finance (1)

What is the maximum you would be willing to borrow over your university career?

Knowledge of HE finance (2)

Are you eligible for a maintenance grant?

The importance of fee level (1)

If the annual fees has been those listed below, would this have made you think differently about going to higher education?

The importance of fee level (2)

If fees had been £6,000 would this have made a difference to your decision-making?Lower fees would have…

The importance of cost (1)What are the most important factors in making decisions about going to HE?

The importance of cost (2)Even though it can cost up to £9000 per year to go to university I still want to go because:

The impact of costBecause of the cost of going to university, I am likely to choose...

Working while in HE Please can you estimate the number of hours you expect you will work, if the job is term time

HE activities in pre 16

Whilst at school (age 11 – 16), did you receive any specific lessons/activities about higher education from external institutions such as universities? If so, please try and remember how many you received in each year

HE activities post 16 Post 16 (year 12-13)In the last year how much support have you received from your school/college in making decisions about higher education?

The importance of school/college

In terms of helping you make decisions about higher education, how important do you think the support you have received from school/college has been?

HE activities at post 16Have you participated in any of the following university led activities in the last year?

What is research telling us?

• There are gaps in knowledge of the finance system

• The fee level does matter

• Subject & ‘going to university’ matters

• Support is low pre 16 – from both school and HEIs

Full report to be released in mid April